Whenever there is a major football tournament, a country starts its preparations years earlier. And, they start by renovating their existing stadiums.
However, at times, the renovation cost of a stadium becomes higher than the cost of building a bigger stadium. In this way, older stadiums perish, and new ones emerge.
The same thing is happening in Italy. As per The Sun, a major Italian football venue is now at risk of being wiped from the skyline as preparations intensify for Euro 2032.
Stadio Marcantonio Bentegodi in Verona, once the stage for iconic Italia ’90 moments, is suddenly facing an uncertain future.
Built in 1963 and currently home to Hellas Verona, the 39,000-seat stadium played host to Belgium’s entire group stage and Spain’s dramatic last-16 defeat to Yugoslavia at the 1990 World Cup.
But more than six decades on, its age and condition have become a major concern.
Italy, bidding to co-host Euro 2032 alongside Turkey, needs modern, safe, and profitable stadiums to satisfy UEFA requirements.
Renovating the Bentegodi would cost an estimated €300 million. It is a figure Verona mayor Damiano Tomassi says makes the project unrealistic.
The former Italy midfielder believes demolition and full reconstruction would be safer, cheaper in the long run, and better suited to modern demands.
However, even that solution has financial roadblocks. Italy has only €200 million in government funding available for stadium upgrades nationwide.
And the Stadio Olimpico alone requires half of that. Without a major private investor, progress looks unlikely.
Hellas Verona have already submitted plans for a new multi-use stadium, designed to host concerts and non-football events, but such a project would need around €200 million.
Again, they need public support. During construction, the club would move temporarily to a smaller venue in the city. For now, the future of one of Italy’s classic football sites hangs in the balance.
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